Momentum (noun): the strength or force that allows something to continue or to grow stronger or faster as time passes.
As small business owners, you put time, money, and energy into ensuring your business’s success. But to truly grow your business and reach your goals, you’ll need one thing: momentum. Watching your hard work shine through as your business reaches new levels is enough to spur motivation in any small business owner or employee.
As we all know, COVID-19 caused an abrupt halt in the momentum of small businesses across the country. But hurdles are nothing new to small business owners. A business’ success is not defined by what has happened, but what will happen. It’s our goal to help you move your business forward both quickly and efficiently. Below are some tips on how you can create and sustain momentum for your business.
Creating Momentum
Make a Plan
It’s all about preparation. As Benjamin Franklin said, “by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” Take the first step and start creating a plan to keep you on track as you begin to build and rebuild your business’s momentum. After all, you wouldn’t build a house without a blueprint, right?
Set Goals
Without goals, you would never know how far you’ve come and more importantly, how much farther you need to go. Get into the mindset of setting SMARTER goals every day.
Your goals should be:
- Specific: Provide a clear definition of what your goal is.
- Measurable: How will you be measuring your success?
- Achievable: Be honest with yourself; is your goal something that you can achieve?
- Relevant: How is this goal going to help your business? Is it worth pursuing?
- Time-Bound: How long will it take you to achieve? Does it require a timeline?
- Evaluated: Stay on track and make sure your goal is helping you get where you want to go.
- Reviewed: Reflect on what you have done, and if it is not working, re-think and adjust your goal.
But it doesn’t stop here. Setting long-term goals is not enough when you’re looking to create momentum in a business; you will need to regularly expand on and improve your goals. To grow and build on your success, try habitually creating new goals at least once a week.
Stay Positive
Your mind is more powerful than you may think. Life as a business owner can become draining if you let it, so make sure that you tune into your emotional wellness every day. Stay mindful of the words you’re using and the tone you are speaking with, both to yourself and others.
Focus
When building momentum, it can be easy to fall into the trap of mindlessly working on smaller tasks. Make sure both you and your team remember what really matters and focus on the bigger picture!
Reward Yourself
Just because you’re working hard and staying focused doesn’t mean you don’t deserve a little celebration! Don’t diminish all that you’ve done just because you aren’t where you want to be yet. Continue to recognize the little victories and reward yourself for them – it will go a long way.
Sustaining Momentum
Momentum is dynamic! It does not keep itself going; it’s your job to make sure all of the momenta you’ve built does not fall.
Remember Your “Why”
The commitment that you have for your small business’s growth and success is what helped you initially build momentum. Draw from that passion that led you to start your business in the first place and use it to help you keep the momentum going. What do you want? Why do you want it? Who does it benefit? Asking yourself these questions will help you stay on track and stay committed to your goals.
Be Ready for Change
If you didn’t know before, you certainly know now that change is the only consistent part of life – especially small business life. Make sure you, your team, and your business are prepared to adapt to any situation.
Change Up Your Environment
Take action and create a positive, peaceful, and productive environment for you, your employees, and your business.
Set The Right Tone
Your morning routine sets the tone for the rest of your day, so begin crafting good habits that can help carry you through a productive workday.
Finish Your To-Do List
Finish up that to-do list that has been sitting at the corner of your desk for months – you know the one, we all have it. The feeling you get when finishing each goal, no matter how small, will help you celebrate those little victories.
Use Your Team
You’re only as productive, positive, and successful as the people you surround yourself with. So make sure that your team carries traits that you wish to see in yourself and in your business.
Create a Positive Workspace
Here’s the part where we tell you to clean off that desk! Make your workspace as stress-free as possible and play some upbeat music so you can look forward to sitting at your desk and getting work done. A happy space will keep you on track to accomplishing your long-term goals and continuing your momentum.
Find What You Do Best
Expanding your business’s products or services doesn’t always lead to success. To sustain your momentum, stay true to your original business products and services and expand on them. Do what you do and do it well; the rest will follow. Create a sense of stability in your brand and products because a single superior product is better than multiple mediocre products.
Remember that energy in motion stays in motion; once the ball is rolling and you have built momentum in your business, it will become easier to innovate, grow, and recuperate from your mistakes. There is no growth without momentum and with momentum, growth will cost a whole lot less. Keep building, growing, and moving forward because the momentum you create for your business will pay off.
If you need help using the power of momentum to grow your business, make an appointment with one of our consultants today. Let’s continue learning together and building momentum for your business!
Sources
https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/315673
https://transformyourbrilliance.com/sustaining-momentum-business/
https://selfmadesuccess.com/how-to-create-unstoppable-momentum-in-business/
https://valiant.finance/blog/creating-momentum-in-business
https://www.business.com/articles/building-business-momentum-with-limited-resources/
https://medium.com/@Jurthetauren/how-do-you-know-when-you-have-business-momentum-4b3cb4df2bcf
